Method of making inflated balls



Jan. 25, I955 B. J. AXTON, JR

METHOD 0F MAKING INFLATED BALLS Original Filed Sept. 22, 1950 Ill 'TI/llll zME'FHOD 'OF MAKING JNELAIED "BenjafniinJ. Axton, Jr., Holyoke,.Masst,..assignor.to

'S pafldi'ng & Bros. Inc., Chicopee, Mass.,ra corporation 'O'f Delaware Original application "September "2 2 1950, Serial i r.

"1951, Serial N0. 241,287

'6 'Claims. 01. 154 16) The present invention "relates to the 'method of ntaking inflated balls and particularly inflated balls having "a molded casing completely enclos'ed inthe bladder and provided with -a slit extending partially through the -casing, which f slit is closed by a separate lace and to the method of making the same, and is a 'division'of my application Serial "No. 186,214, filed September 22, :1.

Ihepresent invention is applicable to all typ'es'of inflated balls, such as 'bask'e'tballs, soccer balls, v'dlle'ybialls and footballs, However, it is particularly well suited for Tfootballs'in whichthe'lace in th'e'casingprovides a means whereby 'the ball may be jgripped forpassing orha'ndlin'g.

in sewn footballs it has been the practiceto leave a portion of one of the seams opena'nd 'to insert the bladder through this scam and-close "the sa'rne'by a flap and ja lac-e extending across the opening. This has the disad- '-va'ut'age, however, that the casing is weakened at the opening-and has a tendency tobulge after long'use. In'a'n effort t'oovercomethis tendency unsewn balls were'm'ade 'u'p employing a laminated casingbut-no "meanswere'provided for receiving the lace, but instead a simulated lace was molded into "thesurfa'ce of the ball. Thisf'howeve'r, didf'not provide a"proper or satisfactoryg'ripping"action.

The present invention hasthe advantageofth'euns'ewn ball insofar as maintaining its shape is-concernedand the advantagesof the'sewnball in that thefseparate'laceprovides for adequate gripping.

In 'car'ryingo ut the method'ofthe present'inventionta plurality of panels of 'fabric are provided with adhesive coatings and are'laid up on the ball tofprovidea multiply casing. Incorporated in thefwall ofthe -casing as an adhesion "resistant substance'which prevents, in a zone in the wall, adhesion between adjace'ntplies to form 'a tpocke't 'the'rebetween. The outer plies of the casing overlying the pocket are slit and punched and a lace "is inserted to draw-the edges of the slit together. With thisstructure it*willfbe see'n that the ball will maintain. its'OriginalshaPe and will resist distortion atthe slit'becauseofthe'underlying fabricforming'p'art of the wall of'the'c'a'sin'g while -a'tthe same time the lace which is inserted in the holes in the outer plies of the casing will provide "an adequate grip for passing or'otherwise handlingtheball.

'In'forrning the pocket in the casing in the illustrated form of the invention, apat'ch isu'sed having :an adhesive coated "fabric as its base, an adhesion resistant :portion 'lyingwithin the edges-of the fabric-on one face thereof and-an anvil lying'within the edges of the -adhesive'vresistantarea. This patch is located "on the ball --so as to lie within the edges of the panels formingthe wall so that when "a slit is formed in thecasing over theanvil it Will -not pass-through a seamin the fabric forming the multiply wall of the casing.

The'ba'll "of the present invention 'inayhave a rubber cover formed with the exterior surface moldedto sirriulate a leather ball or may be provided withua rubber cover having" raise'd 'seams'between which panelsof leather may be inserted i'n'the manner described in the Reach patent No. 2,182,052, issued December 5,1939.

.A feature ofthe present inventionv is-the making-ofa ball'so that'the casing maybe built up and the slit provided in the adhered-together outer plies of the casing without destroying the shape-sustaining properties of the casing.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be Divided and this application August 10,

United States Pate 2,700,410 Ratented Jan. 25, .1955

"ice

.2 apparent from the specification elaim's iwhen considered in connectionfwiththe draw ings m Which-z Figure "'1 shows fa =side elevation ef a football *wlth the Fig. 2 is a pe'rspective of "the ball with 'the lace re- Fig. 3 is a sectional view of theball through the patch and before molding. l

V Fig. 6 :is a view similar to Fig. 3 of aneth'er ret-m 'ofithe'invention. I V

.'Fi'g.7 is 'a'vie'w ofjtheball f Fig."'6 after the mo'lding operation with the rubber coating o'n the "outside a'n'dithe *slit and-holes therein.

In the illustrated form 1 of the invention the "ball c'o'm- {prises an outer "molded surfac 10% 'sim1i1ate-apbblet1 leather. It is 'also provided with -molded seams 1 1 i-With simulated stitches 'therein and simulated -stitches 12 011 thesurfac'e. v

"'In forming the ball of Fig. '1 a bladder 13 *having a valve l'4 has' laidithereon theusual panels of fabric coated on their faces with adhesive material such as rubber cement, to 'form two plies 15, '156 completely enclosing the bladder. At a ZOne tO-One- Side of the valve,i'as-shown =in Fig.2, there=isthei1'placed a patch. 'The 'path,'as shown in de'ta'il in Fig, 5, comprises a layer dffabric 17 having adhesive "o'nboth sides. Oveilyin'g 'oneface o'f'the pateh is au -area or adhesive resistant 'rnaterial '18. "The adhesion resistant material, in the preferred "form ofthe-invention, -comprises a' thin sh'eet'df polyethyleneorithe likethertnopla's'tic which during-the molding operation forms" a-coating on the adjacent surfaces and*preverits them fromfiadhering. It is to be understood, however, that othersheet material such as'fa'bric, paper-*drthe like-treated to prevent adhesion of the fabiic' inthe zone maylbe used. If "desired, acoating of a "suitable adhesion 'resi'staiiflmaterial may* be=used in place of "the sheet'mate'rial. Amexample of such a coating would be a lacquer formed of polyethylene or the like thermoplasticwhichisapplie'd t'ofthje one face "of "the (patch. In the center of "the adhes'ive resistant'm'aterial is an anvil' l9. The anvil, in thepreferred form or the invention, comprises .a" sheet of aluniinumfoil. If desired, however,"itmaybea'thinfplatebf steel or o'thenmaterial capable of forming "asu'r'face against "which the cuttingto'olcan operate in forniingihe slit'without'cuttingtheinnerplies. 4 I v Aft'e'rthe patch is put inp'laee it'is'zcovered 'by "pauels forming "at least one-layer o'r'jply 20. "Thvwholewas'ing is thencovered with 'a'layer of "rubber Z21 and placed in a 'suitahlemol'd "(not shown) where,"under isuital'ile heat and'p'res'sure, the pliesof thecasing'and themubber of'the cover become united intoa homogeneous amass. During the'molding operation the adhesion resistant material and the =a'nvil 'prevent *thefpatch from .f adhering to "the adjacent ply "so as "to 'form .a pocke't 'therebetw'een. The cover and outer plies vof the ;'casing are "thenfjpro- 'vided with a slit'22, as'indicated""byithe'lheavy linein Fig-4, in th'e'zone overlyingthe anvil'lbyjpassingfa sharp instrument through the adhered outer,;P1ies,fthe anvil preventing the instrument 3 from "cutting the inner plies. "The adhesion resistant material, itwillbe. noted, extends beyond the sides of the :anvil 'solthat'theipoike't formecl 'thereby will provide for. movement of tthetanvlil and enable it to'be removed throug'hlthe slit. LThepocket is indicated by the'heavy black. line l3xinllFig. 4. After the anvil is removed,holes12'4.are plmchedhalong each side "of'fthe vslit22 and through whichaulacejZSxisLinser ted' as shown in. Fig.. 1 to: draw Lthensides .of-athessl-itttog'ether. Th'e .lace .can be .atstrip 45f natural or imitation -leather,'lfiexible ,plastic or 'fabricnasa required. It wi.ll b'e seentfrornl Fig. -4-th-atirthe zportien of with casing; underlying the slit is t-joined: to tthezoute'r plies 511 around the pocket and is of a size as determined by the outer plies and hence will prevent the casing from bulging at the slit while the outer plies will provide satisfactory means for receiving the lacing. In the preferred form of the invention-the valve is located remote from tinuous and presents a maximum of strength.

The form of the invention shown in Figs. 6 and 7 is generally similar to that shown in the preceding figures with the exception that in this form of the invention .the patch is first laid on the bladder at a zone remote from the valve with the back of the fabric base 17 engaging the bladder and the adhesive resistant layer 18a and anvil 19a facing upwardly. The panels are then laid on to form several plies 15, 16, 20 of fabric thereover as shown in Fig. 6. The rubber cover 21 is applied and assembly molded as explained in connection with Figs. 1-5. The slit 22a, as indicated by the heavy line in Fig. 7, is made therein at the zone over the anvil through the three outer plies and cover, the inner ply being formed by the fabric of the patch. The anvil is removed from the pocket 23 indicated by the heavy line in Fig. 7 and lace-receiving holes 24 are punched on either side of the slit. The lace is then inserted into the holes in a manner similar to that shown in Fig. 1.

It will be seen from the procedures outlined above that I have provided a novel method for making the ball wherein a multiply molded casing is formed having a pocket therein and a slit is cut in the casing to extend partially through the casing into the pocket and holes are punched in the casing adjacent the slit to receive the lace so that a ball having the desirable characteristics of a molded ball and a sewn ball having a laced opening are achieved.

While in the specific forms of the invention I have disclosed the use of a rubber cover, it is to be understood that if desired a leather cover may be applied on the ball by providing in lieu of the rubber cover a thin rubber layer having raised ridges thereon defining leather panel-receiving spaces as described in the aforementioned Reach patent.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the claims and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim:

1. The method of forming an inflated ball having a bladder provided with a valve, the steps of laying on the bladder a plurality of plies of fabric having adhesive thereon to form a casing therearound and including be tween the plies, at a zone remote from said valve, a layer of adhesion resistant material and an anvil plate; enclosing the casing in a layer of rubber; placing the ball in a mold and subjecting the ball to heat and pressure to adhere the plies and layer of rubber to gether and to form the required surface configuration on the rubber layer, the layer of adhesion resistant material and anvil plate preventing the adjacent plies in said zone from adhering together; removing the ball from the mold and cutting a slit in said zone through the adhered outer plies and layer of rubber to said anvil; removing the anvil; punching a row of holes in the outer plies on each side of the slit; and inserting a lace through the holes to draw the sides of the slit together.

2. The method of forming an inflated ball having a bladder provided with a valve, the steps of laying on the bladder a plurality of plies of fabric having adhesive thereon to form a casing therearound and including, at a zone remote from said valve, a layer of adhesion resistant material and an anvil plate; placing the ball in a mold and subjecting the ball to heat and pressure to adhere the plies together, the layer of adhesion resistant material and anvil plate preventing the adjacent plies in said zone from adhering together; removing the ball from the mold and cutting a slit in said zone through the adhered outer plies to said anvil; removing the anvil; 7

punching a row of holes in the outer plies on each side of the slit; and inserting a lace through the holes to draw the sides of the slit together.

3. The method of forming an inflated ball having a bladder provided with a valve, the steps of laying on the bladder a plurality of plies of fabric having adhesive thereon to form a casing therearound; interposing between the plies of fabric, at a zone remote from said valve, pocket-forming means including an anvil plate; placing the ball in a mold and subjecting the ball to heat and pressure to adhere the plies together, the pocketforming means preventing the adjacent plies in said zone from adhering together; removing the ball from the mold and cutting a slit in said zone throughthe adhered outer plies to said anvil; removing the anvil; punching a row of holes on each side of the slit; and inserting a lace through the holes to draw the sides of the slit together.

4. The method of forming an inflated ball having a bladder provided with a valve, the steps of forming a patch with a fabric base having adhesive thereon, a layer of polyethylene overlying one face of the base and terminating inwardly of the edges thereof, and a thin metal anvil overlying the polyethylene and terminating inwardly of the edge thereof; laying on the bladder a plurality of panels of fabric having adhesive thereon and said patch to form a multiply casing therearound with the patch located at a zone remote from said valve; enclosing the casing in a layer of rubber; placing the ball in a mold and subjecting the ball to heat and pressure to adhere the plies and layer of rubber together and to form the required surface configuration on the rubber layer, the polyethylene and metal anvil plate preventing the adjacent plies in said zone from adhering together; removing the ball from the mold and cutting a slit in said zone only through the adhered outer plies and layer of rubber; removing the anvil; punching a row of holes in the outer plies on each side of the slit; and inserting a lace through the holes to draw the sides of the slit together.

5. The method of forming an inflated ball having a bladder provided with a valve, the steps of forming a casing around said bladder by laying on the bladder two fabric plies comprising a plurality of panels of fabric having adhesive thereon; laying on these plies, intermediate the edges of one of the panels at a zone remote from said valve, 21 pocket-forming patch including a fabric layer having adhesive thereon, an adhesion resistant layer on one face within the edges of the fabric layer and an anvil plate within the edges of the adhesion resistant layer; laying on at least one more outer ply of panels of fabric having adhesive thereon, laying on a layer of rubber sheeting; placing the ball in a inold and subjecting the ball to heat and pressure to adhere together the plies, patch and the rubber layer, the adhesion resistant layer and anvil preventing the patch and adjacent ply in said zone from adhering together; removing the ball from the mold and cutting a slit in said zone through the adhered outer plies and rubber layer to said anvil; removing the anvil; punching a row of holes in said outer plies and rubber layer on each side of the slit; and inserting a lace through the holes to draw the sides of the slit together.

6. The method of forming an inflated ball having a bladder provided with a valve, the steps of forming a multiply casing around said bladder by laying on the bladder, at a zone remote from said valve, a pocketforming patch including a fabric layer engaging the bladder and having adhesive thereon, an adhesion resistant layer on the exposed face within the edges of the fabric layer and an anvil plate within the edges of the adhesion resistant layer, laying on a plurality of outer plies of panels of fabric having adhesive thereon with the patch located within the overlying panels; laying on a layer of rubber sheeting; placing the ball in a mold and subjecting the ball to heat and pressure to adhere together the plies and the rubber layer, the adhesion resistant layer and anvil preventing the overlying ply in said zone from adhering to said patch; removing the ball from the mold and cutting a slit in said zone through the adhered outer plies and rubber to said anvil; removing the anvil; punching a row of holes in said outer plies and rubber on each side of the slit; and inserting a lace through the holes to draw the sides of the slit together.

Reach Aug. 13, 1940 Gow et al. Nov. 20, 1951 

